Securely and efficiently processing telephone orders

ABSTRACT

An apparatus includes a registration module that creates and stores a customer billing profile of a customer with billing information, contact information and/or shipping information of the customer. A phone connection module establishes a telephonic connection between the customer and an automated attendant of a merchant. An identifier module sends an identifier to the automated attendant after establishing the telephonic connection. The identifier links the customer to a customer billing profile. A sales identifier module identifies to the automated attendant a product and/or a service offered by the merchant as part of a sales order. A billing profile module provides the automated attendant electronic access to the customer billing profile. The automated attendant processes the sales order using the customer billing profile and billing information of the customer billing profile is unavailable to the automated attendant and to a computer system of the merchant prior to establishing the telephonic connection.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a divisional application of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/198,384 entitled SECURELY AND EFFICIENTLYPROCESSING TELEPHONE ORDERS and filed on Mar. 5, 2014 for Alan Truitt,which is a continuation-in-part application of and claims priority toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/967,608 entitled SECURELY ANDEFFICIENTLY PROCESSING TELEPHONE ORDERS and filed on Aug. 15, 2013 forAlan Truitt, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

This invention relates to telephone order processing and moreparticularly relates to secure and more efficient telephone orderprocessing and request handling.

BACKGROUND

Online shopping has proliferated in the last decade and continues togrow. Websites allow consumers to make purchases without the assistanceof a customer service representative, streamlining the shoppingexperience. In addition, the automated storage and retrieval of customerinformation, including billing information, makes online transactionsfaster and more secure. For certain products and services, however,consumers may still need to speak to a customer service representative.These products and services are generally more complex and unfamiliar toconsumers, and customer service representatives can help businessescomplete a sale faster and more accurately than a website alone. Ingeneral, customers who place an order through a customer servicerepresentative will often give their billing information directly to thecustomer service representative in order for the customer salesrepresentative to process the order. If a business already has acustomer's billing information stored in its computer system, thecustomer service representative will often have access to and can viewthe customer billing information in order to process a sales order. Inmany cases, however, companies do not have the billing information forcustomers when they are calling to place an order, and this informationmust be captured to complete the order.

SUMMARY

An apparatus for processing telephone orders includes a communicationsmodule, an identification module, a billing profile access module, and atransaction module. In one embodiment, the communications moduleestablishes a telephonic connection between a customer servicerepresentative of a merchant and a customer. In another embodiment, theidentification module receives an identifier alerting one or more of thecustomer service representative and a computer system of the merchantthat the customer has a customer billing profile, the identifierreceived in conjunction with the telephonic connection, the customerbilling profile stored previous to the telephonic connection. In acertain embodiment, the billing profile access module receiveselectronic access to the customer billing profile. The customer billingprofile includes billing information of the customer and is storedelectronically at an independent location, such as the customer'selectronic device or a third party computer system. In a certainembodiment, the customer billing profile is received in response to anaction of the customer approving sending the customer billing profile tothe billing profile access module. The customer action, in one form, maybe to send the customer billing profile during the telephonicconnection. In another form, the customer action may be a defaultsetting that provides permission to send the customer billing profile inresponse to a telephonic connection with a customer servicerepresentative in which an identifier is sent. Yet another form ofcustomer action is approving the sales order. In yet another embodiment,the transaction module processes a sales order using the customerbilling profile of the customer in response to a customer approval ofthe sales order. The sales order is for a product and/or a serviceoffered by the merchant and the billing information of the customerbilling profile is unavailable for viewing by the customer servicerepresentative.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a confirmation module thatreceives the customer approval of the sales order prior to processingthe sales order. In a particular embodiment, the customer approvalincludes verbal consent. In an embodiment, the confirmation moduletransmits an order approval request to the customer prior to receivingthe customer approval and receives an electronic message that includesthe customer approval. The order approval request includes informationabout the sales order. In a certain embodiment, the apparatus includes asecurity module that verifies the customer approval of the sales order.In one embodiment, the customer billing profile electronic access isreceived in response to the customer approval, and the electronic accessto the customer billing profile includes receiving the customer billingprofile, receiving a location of the customer billing profile, and/orenabling access to retrieve the customer billing profile.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a registration module thatreceives and stores the customer billing profile of the customer. Theregistration module receives and stores the customer billing profile ina transaction unrelated to the sales order. In another embodiment, theregistration module operates outside control of the merchant. In acertain embodiment, the billing profile access module receives thecustomer billing profile from a third party storing the customer billingprofile of the customer. In some embodiments, the identifier includes alink to the customer billing profile. The link is operable to access thecustomer billing profile.

In one embodiment, the billing profile access module receives thecustomer billing profile from an electronic device that transmits theidentifier. In the embodiment, the registration module stores thecustomer billing profile in a location accessible to the electronicdevice. In another embodiment, the customer billing profile of thecustomer includes a credit card profile, a debit card profile, and/or afinancial institution account profile for the customer. In anotherembodiment, the customer billing profile of the customer includes one ormore of a shipping address, a residential address, a business address, aphone number, a fax number, and an email address of the customer. In yetanother embodiment, the identification module notifies the customerservice representative of the identifier when the communications moduleestablishes the telephonic connection. In a further embodiment, theidentifier is transmitted over a communication channel of the telephonicconnection. In another embodiment, the identification module furthertransmits the customer billing profile along with the identifier.

A method for processing a telephone order includes establishing atelephonic connection between a customer service representative of amerchant and a customer. The method includes receiving an identifieralerting one or more of the customer service representative and acomputer system of the merchant that the customer has a customer billingprofile, the identifier received in conjunction with the telephonicconnection, the customer billing profile stored previous to thetelephonic connection. The identifier is transmitted electronically tothe customer service representative in response to establishing thetelephonic connection. The method includes receiving electronic accessto the customer billing profile. The customer billing profile includesbilling information of the customer and is stored electronically in acomputer system external to a computer system available to the merchantand to the customer service representative. In a certain embodiment, thecustomer billing profile is received in response to an action of thecustomer approving sending the customer billing profile to the billingprofile access module. The customer action, in one form, may be to sendthe customer billing profile during the telephonic connection. Inanother form, the customer action may be a default setting that providespermission to send the customer billing profile in response to atelephonic connection with a customer service representative in which anidentifier is sent. Yet another form of customer action is approving thesales order. The method includes processing a sales order using thecustomer billing profile of the customer in response to a customerapproval of the sales order. The sales order is for a product and/or aservice offered by the merchant and the billing information of thecustomer billing profile is unavailable for viewing by the customerservice representative. The method also includes, in one embodiment,receiving a customer approval of the sales order prior to processing thesales order. The method may also include sending sales order informationto the customer prior to receiving the customer approval. The method mayalso include receiving and storing the customer billing profile of thecustomer in a transaction unrelated to the sales order.

An apparatus for placing a telephone order includes a registrationmodule, a phone connection module, an identifier module, and a billingprofile module. In one embodiment, the registration module creates andstores a customer billing profile of a customer. The customer billingprofile includes a credit card profile, a debit card profile, and/or afinancial institution account profile. In another embodiment, the phoneconnection module establishes a telephonic connection between thecustomer and a customer service representative of a merchant. In aparticular embodiment, the identifier module sends an identifier to thecustomer service representative in response to the phone connectionmodule establishing a telephonic connection. The identifier links thecustomer to a customer billing profile. In a certain embodiment, thebilling profile module provides the customer service representativeelectronic access to the customer billing profile of the customer. Thecustomer service representative processes the sales order using thecustomer billing profile. The sales order is for a product and/or aservice offered by the merchant and the billing information of thecustomer billing profile is unavailable for viewing by the customerservice representative.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an order information moduleand an approval module. In an embodiment, the order information modulereceives sales order information from the customer servicerepresentative. In another embodiment, the approval module sends acustomer approval to the customer service representative. The customerapproval is to approve the sales order. Electronic access to thecustomer billing profile is provided to the customer servicerepresentative in response to the customer approval being sent to thecustomer service representative.

A method to place a telephone order includes creating and storing acustomer billing profile. The customer billing profile includes a creditcard profile, a debit card profile, and/or a financial institutionaccount profile. The method includes establishing a telephonicconnection between a customer and a customer service representative of amerchant. The method includes sending an identifier to the customerservice representative electronically in response to establishing thetelephonic connection. The identifier links the customer to a customerbilling profile. The method includes providing the customer servicerepresentative electronic access to the customer billing profile. Thecustomer service representative processes the sales order using thecustomer billing profile and the billing information of the customerbilling profile is unavailable for viewing by the customer servicerepresentative. The sales order is for a product and/or a serviceoffered by the merchant.

In one embodiment, the method includes receiving sales order informationfrom the customer service representative. In another embodiment, themethod includes ending a customer approval to the customer servicerepresentative. The customer approval is to approve the sales order.Electronic access to the customer billing profile is provided to thecustomer service representative in response to the customer approvalbeing sent to the customer service representative.

An apparatus for processing telephone orders includes a communicationsmodule that establishes a telephonic connection between an automatedattendant of a merchant and a customer and an identification module thatreceives an identifier. The identifier alerts the merchant that thecustomer has a customer billing profile and the identifier is receivedin conjunction with the telephonic connection. The apparatus, in oneembodiment, includes a billing profile access module that receiveselectronic access to the customer billing profile. The customer billingprofile includes billing information, contact information and/orshipping information of the customer and the customer billing profile isstored electronically in a computer system external to a computer systemavailable to the merchant and to the automated attendant. The apparatus,in one embodiment, includes a transaction module that processes a salesorder using the customer billing profile of the customer in response toa customer approval of the sales order. The sales order is for a productand/or a service offered by the merchant and the sales order is receivedand identified via the automated attendant.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a customer order module thatreceives, through the automated attendant, information to identifyproducts and/or services of the sales order. In another embodiment, theidentification module receives the identifier from the customer by thecustomer pressing one or more buttons on an electronic device used bythe customer for the telephonic connection. In a further embodiment,pressing one or more buttons by the customer comprises includes pressinga button that is identified on the electronic device used by thecustomer for the telephonic connection as having a connection to theidentifier and/or pressing a plurality of buttons on the electronicdevice used by the customer for the telephonic connection to enter acode. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a transfer modulethat transfers the telephonic connection to a customer salesrepresentative of the merchant to receive customer billing and shippinginformation in response to establishing the telephonic connection andnot receiving the identifier.

In one embodiment, the customer billing profile is received in responseto an action by the customer. The action approves transmitting thecustomer billing profile to the billing profile access module. In afurther embodiment, the action by the customer includes an action by thecustomer to transmit the customer billing profile during the telephonicconnection, a default setting that provides permission to transmit thecustomer billing profile in response to a telephonic connection with anautomated attendant of a merchant in which the identifier is sent,and/or an action by the customer to approve the sales order. In anotherembodiment, the apparatus includes a data communications module thatestablishes a data connection, in conjunction with the telephonicconnection, between the merchant and the customer. In a furtherembodiment, the data connection and the telephonic connection areestablished using a single electronic device of the customer.

In one embodiment, the identifier includes a link to the customerbilling profile. The link is operable to access the customer billingprofile. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a confirmationmodule that receives the customer approval of the sales order prior toprocessing the sales order. In another embodiment, the apparatusincludes a registration module that receives and stores the customerbilling profile of the customer. The registration module receives andstores the customer billing profile in a transaction unrelated to thesales order. In another embodiment, information passed among themerchant, the customer, and third-parties includes one or more tokenswhere the identifier and the customer billing profile are transmittedusing one or more tokens. In another embodiment, the automated attendantof the merchant includes an electronic system that receives voicecommands from the customer and/or selections from the customer made bypressing buttons on an electronic device used by the customer for thetelephonic connection, and the automated attendant responds withautomated voice responses.

A method for processing telephone orders includes establishing atelephonic connection between an automated attendant of a merchant and acustomer and receiving an identifier. The identifier alerts the merchantthat the customer has a customer billing profile and the identifier isreceived in conjunction with the telephonic connection. The method, inone embodiment, includes receiving electronic access to the customerbilling profile. The customer billing profile includes billinginformation of the customer and the customer billing profile includesbilling information, contact information and/or shipping information ofthe customer. The customer billing profile is stored electronically in acomputer system external to a computer system available to the merchantand to the automated attendant. The method, in one embodiment, includesreceiving a customer approval of a sales order. The sales order is for aproduct and/or a service offered by the merchant and the sales order isreceived and/or identified via the automated attendant. The methodincludes, in one embodiment, processing the sales order using thecustomer billing profile of the customer.

In one embodiment, receiving an identifier includes receiving theidentifier from the customer by the customer pressing one or morebuttons on an electronic device used by the customer for the telephonicconnection. In another embodiment, the method includes transferring thetelephonic connection to a sales representative of the merchant toreceive customer billing and shipping information in response toestablishing the telephonic connection and not receiving the identifier.In another embodiment, the method includes establishing a dataconnection, in conjunction with the telephonic connection, between themerchant and the customer where the identifier, the customer billingprofile, and/or the customer approval are transmitted via the dataconnection. In another embodiment, the method includes receiving andstoring the customer billing profile of the customer, where receivingand storing the customer billing profile includes a transactionunrelated to the sales order and to the merchant.

Another apparatus for processing telephone orders includes aregistration module that creates and stores a customer billing profileof a customer. The customer billing profile includes billinginformation, contact information and/or shipping information of thecustomer. The apparatus, in one embodiment, includes a phone connectionmodule that establishes a telephonic connection between the customer andan automated attendant of a merchant, and an identifier module thatsends an identifier to the automated attendant in response to the phoneconnection module establishing a telephonic connection. The identifierlinks the customer to a customer billing profile. The apparatus, in oneembodiment, includes a sales identifier module that identifies to theautomated attendant one or more of a product and a service offered bythe merchant and desired by the customer for purchase as part of a salesorder, and a billing profile module that provides the automatedattendant electronic access to the customer billing profile of thecustomer. The automated attendant processes the sales order using thecustomer billing profile and billing information of the customer billingprofile is unavailable to the automated attendant and to a computersystem of the merchant prior to establishing the telephonic connection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readilyunderstood, a more particular description of the invention brieflydescribed above will be rendered by reference to specific embodimentsthat are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are nottherefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of asystem for processing telephone orders;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of anapparatus for processing telephone orders;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another embodiment ofan apparatus for processing telephone orders;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of anapparatus for placing telephone orders;

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another embodiment ofan apparatus for placing telephone orders;

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a methodfor processing telephone orders;

FIG. 7 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another embodiment of amethod for processing telephone orders;

FIG. 8 is a schematic flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a methodfor placing telephone orders;

FIG. 9 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another embodiment of amethod for processing telephone orders; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another embodiment of amethod for placing telephone orders with an automated attendant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases“in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughoutthis specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the sameembodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unlessexpressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,”“having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to”unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of itemsdoes not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusiveand/or mutually inclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. Theterms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics ofthe embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. One skilled inthe relevant art will recognize that the embodiments may be practicedwithout one or more of the specific features or advantages of aparticular embodiment. In other instances, additional features andadvantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not bepresent in all embodiments.

These features and advantages of the embodiments will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, or may belearned by the practice of embodiments as set forth hereinafter. As willbe appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method, and/or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having program code embodied thereon.

Many of the functional units described in this specification have beenlabeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize theirimplementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented asa hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays,off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or otherdiscrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmablehardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmablearray logic, programmable logic devices or the like.

Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by varioustypes of processors. An identified module of program code may, forinstance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computerinstructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object,procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identifiedmodule need not be physically located together, but may comprisedisparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joinedlogically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purposefor the module.

Indeed, a module of program code may be a single instruction, or manyinstructions, and may even be distributed over several different codesegments, among different programs, and across several memory devices.Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated hereinwithin modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organizedwithin any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may becollected as a single data set, or may be distributed over differentlocations including over different storage devices, and may exist, atleast partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network.Where a module or portions of a module are implemented in software, theprogram code may be stored and/or propagated on in one or more computerreadable medium(s).

The computer readable medium may be a tangible computer readable storagemedium storing the program code. The computer readable storage mediummay be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic,optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic, micromechanical, orsemiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combinationof the foregoing.

More specific examples of the computer readable storage medium mayinclude but are not limited to a portable computer diskette, a harddisk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), anerasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), aportable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatiledisc (DVD), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, aholographic storage medium, a micromechanical storage device, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document,a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that cancontain, and/or store program code for use by and/or in connection withan instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

The computer readable medium may also be a computer readable signalmedium. A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated datasignal with program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband oras part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of avariety of forms, including, but not limited to, electrical,electro-magnetic, magnetic, optical, or any suitable combinationthereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readablemedium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that cancommunicate, propagate, or transport program code for use by or inconnection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.Program code embodied on a computer readable signal medium may betransmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited towire-line, optical fiber, Radio Frequency (RF), or the like, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing.

In one embodiment, the computer readable medium may comprise acombination of one or more computer readable storage mediums and one ormore computer readable signal mediums. For example, program code may beboth propagated as an electro-magnetic signal through a fiber opticcable for execution by a processor and stored on RAM storage device forexecution by the processor.

Program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the presentinvention may be written in any combination of one or more programminglanguages, including an object oriented programming language such asJava, Smalltalk, C++, PHP or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

The computer program product may be integrated into a client, server andnetwork environment by providing for the computer program product tocoexist with applications, operating systems and network operatingsystems software and then installing the computer program product on theclients and servers in the environment where the computer programproduct will function.

In one embodiment software is identified on the clients and serversincluding the network operating system where the computer programproduct will be deployed that are required by the computer programproduct or that work in conjunction with the computer program product.This includes the network operating system that is software thatenhances a basic operating system by adding networking features.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics ofthe embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. In the followingdescription, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples ofprogramming, software modules, user selections, network transactions,database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardwarecircuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding ofembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however,that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specificdetails, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Inother instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are notshown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of anembodiment.

Aspects of the embodiments are described below with reference toschematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams of methods,apparatuses, systems, and computer program products according toembodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block ofthe schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, andcombinations of blocks in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/orschematic block diagrams, can be implemented by program code. Theprogram code may be provided to a processor of a general purposecomputer, special purpose computer, sequencer, or other programmabledata processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that theinstructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus, create means for implementingthe functions/acts specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/orschematic block diagrams block or blocks.

The program code may also be stored in a computer readable medium thatcan direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, orother devices to function in a particular manner, such that theinstructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an articleof manufacture including instructions which implement the function/actspecified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic blockdiagrams block or blocks.

The program code may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmabledata processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmableapparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented processsuch that the program code which executed on the computer or otherprogrammable apparatus provide processes for implementing thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams in theFigures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation ofpossible implementations of apparatuses, systems, methods and computerprogram products according to various embodiments of the presentinvention. In this regard, each block in the schematic flowchartdiagrams and/or schematic block diagrams may represent a module,segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executableinstructions of the program code for implementing the specified logicalfunction(s).

It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, thefunctions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in theFigures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, beexecuted substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionalityinvolved. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalentin function, logic, or effect to one or more blocks, or portionsthereof, of the illustrated Figures.

Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in theflowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit thescope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or otherconnectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the depictedembodiment. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoringperiod of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depictedembodiment. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagramsand/or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the blockdiagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, can be implemented by specialpurpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions oracts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and program code.

The description of elements in each figure may refer to elements ofproceeding figures. Like numbers refer to like elements in all figures,including alternate embodiments of like elements.

This invention provides added security and efficiency in the processingof product orders with the help of customer service representatives. Theinvention encompasses apparatuses and methods that allow a customer toplace a product order over a telephonic connection with a customerservice representative without having to reveal his or her billinginformation, such as credit card or bank account number, to the customerservice representative. With this invention, a customer can use anidentifier to alert the merchant's computer system and the customerservice representative that he or she has a customer billing profilestored at an independent location, such as the customer's electronicdevice or a third party computer system. When making his or herpurchase, the customer can send his or her customer billing profiledirectly to the merchant, give approval for access to his or hercustomer billing profile on another system, or by default, givepermission to send the customer billing profile in response to havingalready given the customer service representative his or her identifierduring a telephonic connection. Throughout the transaction, the customerservice representative cannot see the customer billing profile, whichincreases the security of the orders and a customer's financialinformation.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of asystem 100 for processing telephone orders. The system 100 includes acomputer 102, an order processing apparatus 104, an electronic device106, an ordering client apparatus 108, a server 110, a customer billingprofile 112, and a network 114, which are described below.

The system 100, in one embodiment, includes a computer 102 with an orderprocessing apparatus 104. The computer 102 may be connected to a display116. The order processing apparatus 104, in one example, receivescustomer data over a network 114 from an electronic device 106. Theelectronic device 106, in one embodiment, includes an ordering clientapparatus 108 to process a purchase order. In one embodiment, the orderprocessing apparatus 104 accesses a customer billing profile 112 on aserver 110 over a network to process a purchase order. The orderprocessing apparatus 104 is described in more detail with respect to theapparatus 200 in FIG. 2 and the apparatus 300 in FIG. 3. The electronicdevice 106, in one embodiment, has an ordering client apparatus 108 andmay be any device capable of sending customer data to a computer 102over a network 114. For example, the electronic device 106 may be alaptop or a desktop computer. In another example, the electronic device106 may be a tablet. Alternatively, the electronic device 106 may be asmartphone. The ordering client apparatus 108 is described in moredetail with respect to the apparatus 400 in FIG. 4 and the apparatus 500in FIG. 5.

The network 114 may include a local area network (“LAN”), a wide areanetwork (“WAN”), wireless network, cellular network, the Internet, afiber optic network, or the like. In one embodiment, the network 114includes multiple networks. For example, the network 114 may include acellular network along with another network capable Internet connection.In another example, the network 114 includes a wireless network alongwith a wired network. The network 114 may include switches, routers,servers, cabling and other equipment known to those in the art. Theserver 110 may be any computer accessible by a computer 102 over anetwork 114, including but not limited to a database server, a mainframeserver, a workstation, a desktop computer, etc.

In one embodiment, a customer billing profile 112 for one or morecustomers is stored on the server 110 before it is accessed by the orderprocessing apparatus 104. The server 110, in one embodiment, is acomputer system external to a computer system available to a merchant,customer service representative of the merchant and/or an automatedattendant of the merchant. In one embodiment, the automated attendant ofthe merchant includes an electronic system that receives voice commandsfrom the customer and/or selections from the customer made by pressingbuttons on an electronic device 106 used by the customer for thetelephonic connection, and the automated attendant responds withautomated voice responses. The automated attendant may allow voicecommands, commands entered by pressing buttons, etc. and may respondwith audible responses. The audible responses are stored electronically.The automated attendant typically includes automated responses ratherthan responses from a live customer service representative, although alive customer service representative may be connected under certaincircumstances, such as the customer having difficulty, a customerpreferring to talk to a customer service representative, a customerdesiring information not available through the automated attendant, etc.

A customer billing profile 112 typically contains billing informationfor a customer. The customer billing profile 112 may include thecustomer's credit card profile, debit card profile, financialinstitution account profile, etc. A credit card profile may includeaccount information for one or more credit cards, where the accountinformation includes information such as the credit card account number,the credit card expiration date, the credit card security code, and thecredit card billing address. A debit card profile may include accountinformation for one or more debit cards (including prepaid debit cards),where the account information may include information such as the debitcard account number, the debit card expiration date, the debit cardsecurity code, and/or the debit card personal identification number(“PIN”). A financial institution may be a bank, a credit union, a trustcompany, etc. A financial institution account profile may includeaccount information for one or more financial institution accounts,where the account information may include the financial institutionaccount number, routing transit number, or other account information.

A customer billing profile 112 may also include additional informationof the customer. For example, the customer billing profile 112 mayinclude a shipping address, a residential address, a business address, aphone number, a fax number, an email address of the customer, purchasehistory, shipping preferences, account information, or other informationthat would be useful in completing a transaction, signing up for aservice or other transaction initiated with a phone call. Throughout thepages of the present disclosure, items, packets, or fields ofinformation about the customer, or any other commands, requests,confirmations, approvals, etc., that are communicated electronicallybetween a customer and a merchant may be encrypted or have othersecurity mechanisms and may be referred to as “tokens.” In oneembodiment, a token may be transmitted via a telephonic connection. Inanother embodiment, a token may be transmitted via a data channel inconjunction with the telephonic connection. A token, in one embodiment,is a non-decryptable piece of data to represent, by reference, sensitiveor secret data. For example, a token may be used to reference personallyidentifiable information of the customer stored on a secure computer andaccessed using the token.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of anapparatus 200 for processing telephone orders. The apparatus 200includes one embodiment of an order processing apparatus 104 with acommunications module 202, an identification module 204, a billingprofile access module 206, and a transaction module 208, which aredescribed below.

The communications module 202, in one embodiment, establishes atelephonic connection between a customer service representative of amerchant and a customer or between an automated attendant of a merchantand the customer. The communications module 202 may establish thetelephonic connection in response to a connection request from anelectronic device 106 used by a customer or by sending a connectionrequest to an electronic device 106 used by a customer. In one form, thetelephonic connection is a fixed line connection established over apublic switched telephone network (“PSTN”) and may include a wired phoneor a wireless handset connection to a base. In another form, thetelephonic connection is a wireless connection established over acellular network. In another embodiment, the telephonic connection is aninternet protocol (“IP”) based connection established over IP networkssuch as the Internet. As another example, the telephonic connection ispart of an audiovisual connection established over the Internet. Thetelephonic connection may also be an exchange of Short Message Service(“SMS”) messages.

In one embodiment, the identification module 204 receives an identifierfrom an electronic device 106 alerting the customer servicerepresentative, automated attendant and/or a computer system of amerchant that a customer has a customer billing profile 112. In thisembodiment, the customer billing profile 112 was stored previous to theestablishment of the telephonic connection. In one embodiment, theidentifier is in a form that allows a customer to be associated with acustomer billing profile 112. For example, the identifier may be acombination of letters, numbers, or both. In another example, theidentifier may be a picture, photograph, sound, etc. The identifier, inyet another embodiment, may be a hyperlink reference that allows accessto a customer billing profile 112, for example in the form of a token.In one embodiment, the identifier is transmitted over a data channel ofthe telephonic connection. In another embodiment, the identifier istransmitted over a different communication or data channel than thetelephonic connection.

For example, the identifier may be transmitted via an internetconnection on a device separate from the electronic device 106. Inanother embodiment, the identifier may be transmitted via an internetand/or cellular connection to the same electronic device 106 that hasthe telephonic connection. In other words, a customer may use asmartphone to establish both the telephonic connection, forcommunicating orally with a customer service representative orcommunicating with an automated attendant, and a data channel of thetelephonic connection, for transmitting the identifier, customer billingprofile 112, customer approval, etc. using data files, tokens or othermeans known to those of skill in the art. The identification module 204,in another embodiment, transmits the customer billing profile 112 alongwith the identifier. In a further embodiment, the identification module204 notifies the customer service representative or automated attendantof the identifier when the communications module 202 establishes thetelephonic connection between a customer and a customer servicerepresentative or automated attendant. In another embodiment, theidentification module 204 notifies the customer service representativeor automated attendant at a later time or, for example, in response toan inquiry by the customer service representative or automatedattendant. For instance, the customer service representative orautomated attendant may access a service that notifies the customerservice representative or automated attendant that the customer has anidentifier or may transmit a request to the electronic device 106 torequest the identifier and the identification module 204 sends theidentifier in response to the request.

The billing profile access module 206, in one embodiment, receiveselectronic access to a customer billing profile 112. In one embodiment,the billing profile access module 206 receives electronic access to acustomer billing profile 112 by sending at least a portion of theidentifier for a customer to the server 110, which may use theidentifier information to locate the customer billing profile 112associated with the identifier. The identifier may provide access sothat the billing profile access module 206 may read information in thecustomer billing profile 112, may retrieve one or more files from theserver 110 with the customer billing profile 112, the identifier mayinclude a command for the server to send the customer billing profile112, etc. In another embodiment, the billing profile access module 206receives electronic access to the customer billing profile 112 byreceiving the customer billing profile 112. For example, the electronicdevice 106 may send the customer billing profile 112. The electronicdevice 106 may receive the customer billing profile 112 from the server110 or may store the customer billing profile 112. In anotherembodiment, the electronic device 106 sends a request to the server 110to send the customer billing profile 112 to the merchant, customerservice representative, and/or automated attendant. One of skill in theart will recognize other ways that the billing profile access module 206may receive electronic access to the customer billing profile 112.

In another embodiment, the billing profile access module 206 receiveselectronic access to a customer billing profile 112 in response to anaction by the customer that approves sending the customer billingprofile 112 to the billing profile access module 206. The action by thecustomer may be an act by the customer to sending the customer billingprofile 112 during the telephonic connection. In a different embodiment,the action by the customer may be a default setting that providespermission to send the customer billing profile 112 in response to atelephonic connection with a customer service representative orautomated attendant in which the identifier is sent. Furthermore, theaction by the customer may be approving the sales order. The billingprofile access module 206, in one form, receives electronic access to acustomer billing profile 112 by receiving the customer billing profile112 from a third party storing the customer billing profile 112. Inanother form, the billing profile access module 206 receives electronicaccess to the customer billing profile 112 by receiving a location or anaddress (e.g., hyperlink) of the customer billing profile 112. In yetanother form, the billing profile access module 206 receives electronicaccess to the customer billing profile 112 by being granted access toretrieve the customer billing profile 112. In a further form, thebilling profile access module 206 receives the customer billing profile112 from the electronic device 106 that transmits the identifier.

The transaction module 208, in one embodiment, processes a sales orderusing a customer billing profile 112. The sales order may be for one ormore products, services, or a combination of products and servicesoffered by a merchant. In one embodiment, the transaction module 208processes a sales order using a customer billing profile 112 in responseto a customer approval of the sales order. During the processing of thesales order by the transaction module 208, the billing information ofthe customer billing profile 112 is unavailable for viewing by thecustomer sales representative. For example, where the customer istalking with the customer sales representative, the customer billingprofile 112 may be sent electronically so the customer servicerepresentative does not see the customer billing profile 112. Where thecustomer is interfacing with an automated attendant, the customerbilling profile 112 may be transmitted in a form that is not viewable bycustomer sales representatives and other personnel of the merchant. Forexample, the customer sales representative or other personnel would beunable to view a credit card number, credit card expiration date, orcredit card security code. As another example, the customer salesrepresentative or other personnel would be unable to view a financialinstitution account number or routing transit number. Shielding thebilling information of the customer billing profile 112 from the view ofa customer sales representative and other personnel of the merchantenhances security by limiting the number of people who have access tothe billing information.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another embodiment ofan apparatus 300 for processing telephone orders. The apparatus 300includes one embodiment of an order processing apparatus 104 with acommunications module 202, an identification module 204, a billingprofile access module 206, a transaction module 208, a confirmationmodule 302, a security module 304, a registration module 306, a customerorder module 308, a transfer module 310, and a data communicationsmodule 312, which are described below.

The communications module 202, identification module 204, billingprofile access module 206, and transaction module 208 in FIG. 3 aresubstantially similar to the modules described above with respect to theapparatus 200 in FIG. 2. The confirmation module 302, in one embodiment,receives a customer approval of the sales order prior to the processingof the order. For example, the confirmation module 302 may transmit anorder approval request to a customer prior to receiving the customerapproval. The order approval request may include information about thesales order, such as a final price of the sales order, a description ofa product or service being purchased, a price of a product or servicebeing purchased, or the quantity of a product or service beingpurchased. In another embodiment, the confirmation module receives anelectronic message containing the customer approval. The customerapproval may take many forms. As an example, the customer approval maybe oral consent received over via a telephonic connection. In anotherexample, the customer approval may be a signature, a password, or apersonal identification number (“PIN”).

The customer approval, in another form, may be a biometric attribute ofthe customer (e.g., fingerprint, palm print, voice). The tokens, asbriefly described above, may be transmitted from the customer to themerchant via a non-telephonic connection, such as the internet, cellularconnection, etc. For example, a customer may use a smartphone toestablish both the telephonic connection, for communicating verballywith a customer service representative, and the non-telephonicconnection, (e.g., cellular connection, internet connection, etc.) fortransmitting the approval and/or other tokens. In another example, thecustomer approval may be a reply to the order approval request. Thereply may be text, a check box on the order approval request, a PIN,etc.

The security module 304 verifies the customer approval of the salesorder by matching the customer approval with a sample previouslyprovided by the customer. For example, the security module 304 mayverify a customer's signature by comparing it to a signature previouslyprovided by the customer and stored on the server 110. In anotherexample, the security module 304 may verify a customer's fingerprint bysending it to the server 110, where it may be compared to a fingerprintpreviously provided by the customer, and receives the result of thecomparison. In this example, by sending the customer approval to theserver 110 for comparison, the comparison may enhance security bylimiting access to an original and authentic customer approvalpreviously provided by the customer.

The registration module 306, in one embodiment, receives and stores acustomer billing profile 112 of a customer. In one embodiment, theregistration module 306 receives and stores a customer billing profile112 in a transaction unrelated to a sales order. For example, theregistration module 306 may receive and store the customer billingprofile 112 while signing the customer up for a service, for example,with a company independent of the merchant of the customer servicerepresentative or automated attendant. In another embodiment, theregistration module 306 operates without the involvement of a merchant.For example, without involvement of a merchant associated with thecustomer service representative. In this embodiment, the merchanttypically has no control over and is independent from the registrationmodule 306 when it receives and stores a customer billing profile 112.

The merchant, in the embodiment, may have no control over the customerbilling profile 112, except for processing the sales order afterreceiving the identifier. The registration module 306, in one form,stores the customer billing profile 112 in a location accessible to theelectronic device 106. For example, the registration module 306 maystore the customer billing profile 112 on a computer 102 or a server 110that may be accessed by the customer service representative, automatedattendant, and/or the computer 102. Once again, any tokens (encrypted orsecure information sent electronically from customer to merchant) may betransmitted via the telephonic connection or a non-telephonicconnection. For example, the registration module 306 may receive tokensof information in order to establish the customer billing profile 112via a non-telephonic connection. The telephonic connection and thenon-telephonic connection, in one embodiment, may be managed by the sameelectronic device 106 (i.e., a smartphone may establish both a telephoneconnection and an internet/data connection).

In one embodiment, the apparatus 300 includes a customer order module308 that receives, through the automated attendant, information toidentify one or more of products and services of the sales order. Forexample, the customer order module 308 may allow a customer to use voicecommands to identify products or services for purchase or may identify apreviously stored order. In another example, the customer order module308 may receive input from the electronic device 106 in the form ofbutton presses, text input, keyboard strokes, etc. In another example,the customer order module 308 may include one or more menus and thecustomer may interface with the menus over the telephonic connection toidentify a product or service to purchase. The customer order module308, in one embodiment, provides audible responses to selections by thecustomer to facilitate navigation of menus, verification of a selectedproduct or service, instructions to the customer, etc. One of skill inthe art will recognize other features of a customer order module 308 toreceive information through the automated attendant to identify aproduct or service to put in the sales order for purchase by thecustomer.

In another embodiment, the apparatus 300 includes a transfer module 310that transfers the telephonic connection to a customer salesrepresentative of the merchant to receive customer billing and shippinginformation in response to establishing the telephonic connection andnot receiving the identifier. For example, the transfer module 310 maybe useful for customers without a customer billing profile 112. Asmentioned above, an automated attendant may have difficulty withaccurately receiving billing and shipping information from a customer.For example, the automated attendant may not be able to discern thedifference between certain names or sounds. For example, the automatedattendant may have difficulty determining that a proper spelling isSteven or Stephen, or determining that a proper spelling is Brian orBryan. Therefore, if no identifier is received, the transfer module 310may transfer the customer to a customer service representative toreceive billing and shipping information.

In another embodiment, the apparatus 300 includes a data communicationsmodule 312 that establishes a data connection, in conjunction with thetelephonic connection, between the merchant and the customer. Forexample, the data connection may be different than the telephonicconnection. In one embodiment, the customer may establish the dataconnection through a computing device and the telephonic connectionthrough a telephone. In another embodiment, the data connection and thetelephonic connection are established using a single electronic device106 of the customer. For example, the electronic device 106 may be asmartphone that combines voice and data on one cellular connection.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of anapparatus 400 for placing telephone orders. The apparatus 400 includesone embodiment of an ordering client apparatus 108 with a registrationmodule 402, a phone connection module 404, an identifier module 406, abilling profile module 408, and a sales identifier module 410, which aredescribed below.

In one embodiment, the registration module 402 in FIG. 4 issubstantially similar to the registration module 306 in FIG. 3. Inanother embodiment, the registration module 402 creates and stores acustomer billing profile 112 of a customer. The registration module 402,in an embodiment, creates and stores a customer billing profile 112 onthe electronic device 106. In a further embodiment, the registrationmodule 402 creates and stores a customer billing profile 112 in alocation accessible to the electronic device 106. For example, theregistration module 402 may create and store the customer billingprofile 112 on a computer or a server 110.

The registration module 402, in one embodiment, is web-based. In anotherembodiment, the registration module 402 allows a third party, such as arepresentative of a company that stores customer billing profiles 112 toreceive information over the phone from the customer and to enter thecustomer billing profile 112. The company may be a company thatestablishes a service with merchants for providing services or systemsin conjunction with the embodiments described herein. Customers and/ormerchants may desire such a service/system for enhanced security, inthat the customer service representative or other employees of merchantsdo not view the sensitive customer billing profile 112 of the customerand sales transactions may take less time than traditional methods wherecustomers relay sensitive financial and personal information over aphone to a customer service representative or automated attendant.

The phone connection module 404, in one embodiment, establishes atelephonic connection between a customer and a merchant customer servicerepresentative. In one embodiment, the phone connection module 404establishes a telephonic connection between an electronic device 106 ofa customer and the customer service representative. In anotherembodiment, the phone connection module 404 establishes a telephonicconnection between an electronic device 106 of a customer and anautomated attendant of a merchant. The telephonic connection issubstantially similar to the telephonic connection previously describedin relation to the apparatuses 200, 300 of FIGS. 2 and 3.

The identifier module 406, in one embodiment, sends an identifier to acustomer service representative or to an automated attendant in responseto the phone connection module 404 establishing a telephonic connectionbetween a customer and the customer service representative or automatedattendant. The identifier links the customer to a customer billingprofile 112. In one embodiment, the identifier module 406 sends theidentifier in a communication channel of the telephonic connection. Inanother embodiment, the identifier module 406 sends the identifier in acommunication channel separate from the telephonic connection. Theidentifier is substantially similar to the identifier described above inrelation to the apparatuses 200, 300 of FIGS. 2 and 3. In oneembodiment, the electronic device 106 can be used to establish thetelephonic connection and send the identifier. For example, theelectronic device 106 may be a smartphone with an application thatenables oral phone calls over the telephonic connection and sendinginformation, for example as tokens, over the data channel connection.Other electronic devices 106, such as a tablet computer, a laptop ordesktop computer, etc. may also be used to make the data channelconnection. In another embodiment, one electronic device 106 establishesthe telephonic connection and another electronic device 106 sends theidentifier. Thus, a customer may be on a telephone in front of acomputer.

The billing profile module 408, in one embodiment, provides the customerservice representative or automated attendant electronic access to thecustomer billing profile 112 of the customer. In one embodiment, thebilling profile module 408 is substantially similar to the billingprofile access module 206 in FIG. 3. In another embodiment, the billingprofile module 408 transmits the customer billing profile 112 of acustomer from the electronic device 106 to the billing profile accessmodule 206 to be accessible to customer service representative. Thecustomer service representative or automated attendant may then use thecustomer billing profile 112 to process the sales order for thecustomer, where the customer billing profile 112 is unavailable forviewing by the customer service representative or other personassociated with the merchant.

In one embodiment, where the customer establishes a connection with anautomated attendant, the apparatus 400 includes a sales identifiermodule 410 that identifies to the automated attendant a product and/or aservice offered by the merchant and desired by the customer for purchaseas part of a sales order. For example, the sales identifier module 410may be integral with the automated attendant and may include menus,instructions, etc. to allow the customer to identify products orservices of the merchant or previously identified and already in a salesorder. For instance the sales identifier module 410 may allow thecustomer to navigate to particular products or services of the merchantor may allow the customer to access a previously stored sales order orpartial sales order. Once the sales identifier module 410 has allowedthe customer to identify goods or services to be part of the salesorder, the billing profile module 408 may then process the sales orderusing the customer billing profile 112. In another embodiment, the salesidentifier module 410 may be used with a customer service representativeto identify products and/or services of the merchant for the salesorder.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another embodiment ofan apparatus 500 for placing telephone orders. The apparatus 500includes one embodiment of an ordering client apparatus 108 with aregistration module 402, a phone connection module 404, an identifiermodule 406, a billing profile module 408, a sales identifier module 410,an order information module 502, and an approval module 504, which aredescribed below.

The registration module 402, phone connection module 404, identifiermodule 406, billing profile module 408 and sales identifier module 410in FIG. 5, in one embodiment, are substantially similar to the modulespreviously described with respect to the ordering client apparatus 108of FIG. 4. The order information module 502, in one embodiment, receivessales order information from the customer service representative. Thesales order information may include a description of the order placed bythe customer, or other information related to a sales transaction. Inone form, the sales order information may include a description of aproduct or service being purchased, a price of a product or servicebeing purchased, the quantity of a product or service being purchased,etc. In another embodiment, the order information module 502 mayinteract with the sales identifier module 410 to receive product/servicesales order information or may include functions of the sales identifiermodule 410.

In one embodiment, the approval module 504 sends a customer approval ofa sales order to a customer service representative or to an automatedattendant. The customer approval may take many forms. As an example, thecustomer approval may be verbal consent. In another example, thecustomer approval may be a signature, a password, or a personalidentification number (“PIN”). The customer approval, in another form,may be a biometric attribute of the customer (e.g., fingerprint, palmprint, voice). The customer approval may be in the form of tokens, asbriefly described above, and may be transmitted from the customer to themerchant via a data channel connection in conjunction with thetelephonic connection, such as the internet, cellular network, etc. Forexample, a customer may use a smartphone to establish both thetelephonic connection, for communicating orally with a customer servicerepresentative, and the data channel connection, (e.g., internetconnection, cellular network, etc.) for transmitting the approval and/orother tokens. In another embodiment, the customer approval may be areply to the sales order information received by the order informationmodule 502 and/or sales identifier module 410. The reply may be in theform of text, a checked checkbox, a PIN, a digital signature, etc.

In one embodiment, instead of establishing a telephonic connection witha customer service representative, the various modules of the presentdisclosure may establish a telephonic connection with an automatedattendant. In such embodiments, the automated attendant may‘communicate’ orally with the customer and in order receive the varioustokens (e.g., identifier, customer billing profile 112, etc.). Theautomated attendant may incorporate speech recognition software and thusmay communicate with and receive tokens from the customer. However, incertain situations and with certain information, the automated attendantmay struggle to accurately comprehend the oral communication with thecustomer. For example, the automated attendant may struggle toaccurately convert the customer's speech into text. In such situations,the automated attendant may still receive the customer billing profile112 from the customer via a telephonic connection by instructing thecustomer to manually enter any passwords using the key-pad on theirelectronic device 106 or may receive the customer billing profile 112without specific instructions from the customer, such as when thecustomer billing profile 112 is sent or enabled with the identifier.

However, transmitting information by using speech recognition softwareor by requiring the customer to manually enter the tokens using a 10digit key-pad may be inefficient. Accordingly, in certain embodiments,the various modules of the present disclosure also establish a datachannel in conjunction with the telephonic connection. The establishmentof a data channel (e.g., internet) allows customers to easily andefficiently transmit the identifier, the customer billing profile 112,etc., possibly in the form of tokens, to merchants. For example, acustomer may use a single electronic device 106 (e.g. a smartphone) toestablish both the telephonic connection, for communicating orally withan automated attendant, and the data channel of the telephonicconnection, for entering and transmitting the identifier, the customerbilling profile 112, etc. In another embodiment, the customer may usetwo separate devices (e.g., a phone and a computer) to establish boththe telephonic and data channel connections. The data channel connectionmay utilize a mobile application, a website, a program on a computer, orother means to allow customers to enter and transmit the identifier, thecustomer billing profile 112, etc. to a merchant. For example, thevarious modules of the present disclosure may transmit information tothe customer via the telephonic connection and the customer may transmitinformation/tokens to the various modules via the data channelconnection.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a method600 for processing telephone orders. The method 600 begins andestablishes 602 a telephonic connection between a customer and acustomer service representative of a merchant. In one embodiment, thecommunications module 202 establishes the telephonic connection. Inanother embodiment, the phone connection module 404 establishes thetelephonic connection. The method 600 receives 604 an identifieralerting the customer service representative, automated attendant,and/or a computer system of a merchant that the customer has a customerbilling profile 112. The customer billing profile 112 is storedelectronically on a computer system external to a computer systemavailable to the merchant, automated attendant or the customer servicerepresentative. In one form, the identification module 204 receives theidentifier. The method 600 receives 606 the customer billing profile112. In one form, the customer billing profile 112 is received by thebilling profile access module 206. In another embodiment, the billingprofile module 408 sends the customer billing profile 112. The method600 processes 608 a sales order of the customer using the customerbilling profile 112 and method 600 ends. During method 600, the customerbilling profile 112 is unavailable for viewing by the customer servicerepresentative or person affiliated with the merchant.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another embodiment of amethod 700 for processing telephone orders. The method 700 begins andestablishes 702 a telephonic connection between a customer and acustomer representative or automated attendant of a merchant. In oneembodiment, the communications module 202 establishes the telephonicconnection. In another embodiment, the phone connection module 404establishes the telephonic connection. The method 700 determines 704 ifan identifier linking a customer to a customer billing profile 112 hasbeen received. If no identifier for the customer has been received, themethod 700 processes 714 the sales order of a customer manually and themethod 700 ends. In one embodiment where the telephonic connection is toan automated attendant, processing manually may include transferring thecall to a customer service representative, for example using thetransfer module 310. If the method 700 determines 704 that an identifierhas been received, the method 700 sends 706 the sales order informationto the customer. In one embodiment, the identification module 204determines 704 if the identifier has been received.

The method 700 determines 708 whether customer permission has beenreceived. In one form, customer permission may be an action by thecustomer to send the customer billing profile 112 during the telephonicconnection. Customer permission, in another form, can be a defaultsetting that provides permission to send the customer billing profile112 in response to a telephonic connection with a customer servicerepresentative or automated attendant in which the identifier is sent.Another form of customer permission can be a customer approving thesales order. If the method 700 determines 708 that no customerpermission for the sales order has been received, the method 700 ends.If the method 700 determines 708 that a customer permission has beenreceived, the method 700 obtains 710 electronic access to the customerbilling profile 112 linked to the previously received identifier. In oneembodiment, the confirmation module 302 determines 708 if a customerapproval is received. In another embodiment, the billing profile module408 obtains electronic access to the customer billing profile 112. Themethod 700 processes 712 a sales order of the customer using thecustomer billing profile 112 and method 700 ends. During method 700, thecustomer billing profile 112 is unavailable for viewing by the customerservice representative or employee of the merchant.

FIG. 8 is a schematic flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a method800 for placing telephone orders. The method 800 begins and creates andstores 802 a customer billing profile 112. In one embodiment, theregistration module 402 creates and stores 802 the customer billingprofile 112. In another embodiment, the registration module 402 receivesand stores the customer billing profile 112 of the customer in atransaction unrelated to the merchant and/or placing a sales order. Themethod 800 establishes 804 a telephonic connection between a customerand a customer service representative or automated attendant of amerchant. In an embodiment, the phone connection module 404 establishesthe telephonic connection. The method 800 sends 806 electronically anidentifier to the customer service representative, automated attendant,or computer system of the merchant in response to establishing thetelephonic connection, the identifier alerting the customer servicerepresentative, automated attendant and/or the computer system of amerchant that the customer has a customer billing profile 112. In oneembodiment, the identifier module 406 sends the identifierelectronically. The method 800 allows 808 electronic access to thecustomer billing profile 112 for processing a sales order, and method800 ends. In one embodiment, the customer service representativeprocesses a sales order of a customer using the customer billing profile112. During method 800, the customer billing profile 112 is unavailablefor viewing by the customer service representative or person connectedwith the merchant.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another embodiment of amethod 900 for processing telephone orders. The method 900 begins andcreates and stores 902 a customer billing profile 112. In oneembodiment, the registration module 402 creates and stores the customerbilling profile 112. The method 900 establishes 904 a telephonicconnection between a customer and a customer service representative orautomated attendant of a merchant. In an embodiment, the phoneconnection module 404 establishes the telephonic connection. The method900 sends 906 electronically an identifier to the customer servicerepresentative or automated attendant in response to establishing thetelephonic connection. The identifier, in one embodiment is a token. Theidentifier alerts the customer service representative, automatedattendant and/or a computer system of a merchant that the customer has acustomer billing profile 112. In one embodiment, the identifier module406 sends the identifier electronically. The method 900 receives 908sales order information from the customer service representative orautomated attendant. In one embodiment, the order information module 502receives the sales order information. The method 900 determines 910whether to approve the sales order. If the method 900 determines 910that the sales order is not approved, the method 900 ends. If the method900 determines 910 that the sales order is approved, the method 900sends 912 the approval to the customer service representative. In oneembodiment, the approval module 504 sends the customer approval. Themethod 900 allows 914 electronic access to the customer billing profile112 linked to the previously sent identifier and method 900 ends. In oneembodiment, the billing profile module 408 allows electronic access tothe customer billing profile 112. During method 900, the customerbilling profile 112 is unavailable for viewing by the customer servicerepresentative or person affiliated with the merchant.

FIG. 10 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another embodiment of amethod 1000 for placing telephone orders with an automated attendant.The method 1000 begins and creates 1002 and stores a customer billingprofile 112. The method 1000 establishes 1004 a telephonic connectionbetween the customer and an automated attendant of a merchant and sends1006 an identifier to the automated attendant and/or computer system ofthe merchant. The method 1000 identifies 1008, to the automatedattendant, products and/or services to be included in a sales order andallows 1010 electronic access to the customer billing profile 112 of thecustomer for processing the sales order, and the method 1000 ends. Inone embodiment, the sales identifier module 410 identifies 1008 to theautomated attendant the products and/or services of the sales order.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed is: 1-19. (canceled)
 20. An apparatus comprising: aregistration module that creates and stores a customer billing profileof a customer, wherein the customer billing profile comprises one ormore of billing information, contact information and shippinginformation of the customer; a phone connection module that establishesa telephonic connection between the customer and an automated attendantof a merchant; an identifier module that sends an identifier to theautomated attendant in response to the phone connection moduleestablishing the telephonic connection, the identifier linking thecustomer to a customer billing profile; a sales identifier module thatidentifies to the automated attendant one or more of a product and aservice offered by the merchant and desired by the customer for purchaseas part of a sales order; and a billing profile module that provides theautomated attendant electronic access to the customer billing profile ofthe customer, the automated attendant processing the sales order usingthe customer billing profile, wherein billing information of thecustomer billing profile is unavailable to the automated attendant andto a computer system of the merchant prior to establishing thetelephonic connection, wherein at least a portion of the registrationmodule, the phone connection module, the identifier module, the salesidentifier module, and the billing profile module comprise one or moreof hardware and executable code, the executable code stored on one ormore computer readable storage media.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20,further comprising: an order information module that receives salesorder information from the automated attendant; and an approval modulethat sends a customer approval to the automated attendant, the customerapproval to approve the sales order, wherein electronic access to thebilling profile is provided to the automated attendant in response tothe customer approval being sent to the automated attendant.
 22. Theapparatus of claim 20, wherein the identifier module sends theidentifier in response to the customer pressing one or more buttons onan electronic device used by the customer for the telephonic connection.23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein pressing one or more buttons bythe customer comprises one or more of: pressing a button that isidentified on the electronic device used by the customer for thetelephonic connection as having a connection to the identifier; andpressing a plurality of buttons on the electronic device used by thecustomer for the telephonic connection to enter a code.
 24. Theapparatus of claim 20, wherein the billing profile module provides thecustomer billing profile in response to an action by the customer, theaction approving transmitting the customer billing profile.
 25. Theapparatus of claim 24, wherein the action by the customer comprises oneor more of an action by the customer to transmit the customer billingprofile during the telephonic connection; a default setting thatprovides permission to transmit the customer billing profile in responseto a telephonic connection with an automated attendant of a merchant inwhich the identifier is sent; and an action by the customer to approvethe sales order.
 26. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising adata communications module that establishes a data connection, inconjunction with the telephonic connection, between the merchant and thecustomer.
 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the data connection andthe telephonic connection are established using a single electronicdevice of the customer.
 28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein thetelephonic connection and the data connection comprise a single networkconnection.
 29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the telephonicconnection and the data connection comprise separate networkconnections.
 30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the billing profilemodule provides the automated attendant electronic access to thecustomer billing profile of the customer by transmitting the customerbilling profile to the automated attendant.
 31. The apparatus of claim30, wherein the billing profile module further retrieves the customerbilling profile prior to transmitting the customer billing profile, thebilling profile module retrieves the customer billing profile from anelectronic device different than an electronic device used by thecustomer for establishing the telephonic connection.
 32. The apparatusof claim 20, wherein the billing profile module provides the automatedattendant electronic access to the customer billing profile of thecustomer by providing a link to the automated attendant to a locationwhere the customer billing profile is accessible.
 33. The apparatus ofclaim 32, wherein the customer billing profile is stored in a locationdifferent than an electronic device used by the customer to establishthe telephonic connection and the link provides access to the locationwhere the customer billing profile is stored.
 34. A method comprising:creating and storing a customer billing profile of a customer, whereinthe customer billing profile comprises one or more of billinginformation, contact information and shipping information of thecustomer; establishing a telephonic connection between the customer andan automated attendant of a merchant; sending an identifier to theautomated attendant in response to establishing the telephonicconnection, the identifier linking the customer to a customer billingprofile; identifying to the automated attendant one or more of a productand a service offered by the merchant and desired by the customer forpurchase as part of a sales order; and providing the automated attendantelectronic access to the customer billing profile of the customer, theautomated attendant processing the sales order using the customerbilling profile, wherein billing information of the customer billingprofile is unavailable to the automated attendant and to a computersystem of the merchant prior to establishing the telephonic connection.35. The method of claim 34, further comprising: an order informationmodule that receives sales order information from the automatedattendant; and an approval module that sends a customer approval to theautomated attendant, the customer approval to approve the sales order,wherein electronic access to the billing profile is provided to theautomated attendant in response to the customer approval being sent tothe automated attendant.
 36. The method of claim 34, wherein theidentifier module sends the identifier in response to the customerpressing one or more buttons on an electronic device used by thecustomer for the telephonic connection.
 37. The method of claim 36,wherein pressing one or more buttons by the customer comprises one ormore of: pressing a button that is identified on the electronic deviceused by the customer for the telephonic connection as having aconnection to the identifier; and pressing a plurality of buttons on theelectronic device used by the customer for the telephonic connection toenter a code.
 38. The method of claim 34, wherein the customer billingprofile is provided in response to an action by the customer, the actionapproving transmitting the customer billing profile, the action by thecustomer comprises one or more of an action by the customer to transmitthe customer billing profile during the telephonic connection; a defaultsetting that provides permission to transmit the customer billingprofile in response to a telephonic connection with an automatedattendant of a merchant in which the identifier is sent; and an actionby the customer to approve the sales order.
 39. The method of claim 34,further comprising establishing a data connection, in conjunction withthe telephonic connection, between the merchant and the customer.